Apparatus for use in teaching dancing



April 27, 1954 J. E. LA MARR 2,676,421

APPARATUS FOR USE IN TEACHING DANCING Filed Aug. 2, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 96 MEEZZHLrM BA $214. )1

April 27, 1954 J. E. LA MARR APPARATUS FOR USE IN TEACHING DANCING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1950 o dfl "86 Patented Apr. 27, 1954 APPARATUS FOR DAN USE 'IN TEACHING CIN G John E. La Marr, Inginiyagala, Ceylon Application August 2, 1950, Serial No. 177,169

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel apparatus or machine for use in teaching dancing or other precision movements and by which a sequence of dance steps are graphically represented in chart form.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide means whereby the graphic representation of the series of dance steps are movable as the dance steps are accomplished by the student so that the position of the student at any point of the sequence of steps will be graphically represented by the portion of the chart disposed directly in the line of vision of the student and so that subsequent steps to be executed will also be in the correct line of vision of the student to thereby greatly facilitate the teaching of dancing by a graphic representation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine or apparatus which is adapted to be worn on the wrist of the student and on which a chart bearing a representation of the steps of a dance sequence will be supported in a position visible to the student and moved by a part of the apparatus so that as the dance steps are executed the simulations thereof on the chart will move into positions to be readily visible to the student.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus including means for movingthe chart and which may be synchronized with music so that the step sequence illustrated by the chart will always be maintained in a proper position to be viewed by the student as the steps are being executed.

'Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

Figure '1 is a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of the invention taken substantially-a'lon'g a plane as indicated by the line 1-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus looking from right to left of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, taken substantially along a plane as in- (heated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 1' and showing the complete apparatus as it would appear with the top wall of the casing removed;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view, partly broken away, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 7, illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 1-1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an end elevational view looking from right to left of Figures 6 and 7, and

Figure 9 is a bottom plan View, partly broken away, of the apparatus as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first with reference to the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the dance step indicator or apparatus for use in teaching dancing, designated generally I0 includes a housing which is preferably substantially square and designated generally l'l having a top wall I2, a bottom wall I3, an end wall [4, an opposite end wall is and corresponding inner and outer side walls I6. The top wall l2 may be removably secured in any suitable manner to the remainder of the housing I l. The side walls l6 are provided with corresponding flanges I! which depend below the bottom wall 13 and the bottom edges of which are correspondingly inclined from end-toend thereof. The end wall I4 is provided with a depending flange I 8 having an inturned bottom edge l9 which is concavely arced as viewed from below and which extends between the bottom edges of corresponding ends of the flanges I! which depend the greatest distance below the'bottom 13. The other end wall I5 is provided with a shorter depending flange 20 which extends only a slight distance below the bottom l3 and which has an inturned bottom edge portion 2|, corresponding to the inturned edge portion {9 and which extends between the bottom edges of the flanges I1 which are disposed nearest the bottom l3.

A shaft 22 extends through a central opening 23 in the bottom wall I3 and is journaled therein and has an upper end extending a short distance upwardly into the compartment or chamber 24 defined by the walls of the housing or casing II. A beveled ring gear 25 is rotatably disposed in the bottom portion of the chamber 24 and the upper portion of the shaft 22 extends centrally through and is journaled in the ring gear 25 and is provided with a head 26 which seats in an upwardly opening recess 21 of said ring gear and by which the ring gear is retained against upward displacement. A ratchet wheel 28 is fixed to the shaft 22 for rotation therewith and is disposed beneath the housing bottom [3 and a handle or turning knob 29 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 22 below the ratchet wheel 28 to enable the shaft 22 to be manually revolved, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. A pawl 30 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 3| to the under side of the bottom 13 and the free end of said pawl is yieldably retained in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 28, all of which are inclined in the same direction, as seen in Figure 5, by a leaf spring 32 which is also secured to the under side of the bottom l3 at one end thereof by fastenings 33. It will be readily apparent that the pawl 30 will swing outwardly against the action of the spring 32 to allow the shaft 22 and ratchet wheel 28 to be turned by the knob or handle 29 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 5, but will prevent said shaft from turning in a clockwise direction. A spring 34 is coiled in the downwardly opening recess 35 of the ring gear 25 and has its inner end fixed to the shaft 22 and its outer end fixed to the ring gear 25 as seen at 36 and 31, respectively. The shaft 22 is manually turned counterclockwise as seen in Figure and as previously described for winding the spring 34 and when the spring is wound and the shaft 22 is held by the pawl 30 and ratchet wheel 28 it provides an anchor for the inner end of the wound spring and so that said spring will tend to revolve the ring gear 25 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 5 or clockwise as viewed from above.

A shaft 38 is journaled in the central portion of the top wall l2 and is provided with a collar 39 which bears upon the upper surface of the top wall l2. An upper beveled ring gear 4!) is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 38 and is disposed directly above and spaced from the bottom ring gear 25 and is of the same diameter as said ring gear 25. The walls I 4 and are provided with aligned bearings 4| for journaling the ends of a shaft 42 which is reciprocally disposed in said bearings 4| and which extends between the walls I4 and I5 centrally through the space between the gears and 40. Two small beveled pinions 43 and 44 are fixed to the shaft 4| adiacent its ends and a grooved collar 45 is fixed to the shaft 42 outwardly of the beveled pinion 44. An actuating rod 46 is reciprocally mounted in a boss 41 formed in the wall l4 and has an upturned bifurcated or forked inner end 48 which enga es loosely in the annular groove of the collar 45 so that the collar 45 can turn with the shaft 42 relatively to the fork 48 but by displacing the rod 46 inwardly or outwardly m of the wall 14, said collar 45, the shaft 42 and the pinions 43 and 44 will be displaced relatively to the ring gears 25 and so that by pulling outwardly on the rod 46 the pinion 43 will be moved into meshing engagement with the gears 25 and 40 or by pushing inwardly on the rod the pinion 44 will be moved into meshing engagement with the gears 25 and 4!! and the pinion 43 moved out of engagement therewith, said pinions being spaced a suflicient distance apart so that both pinions cannot simultaneously mesh with or engage the gears.

A relatively large gear 49 is fixed to the shaft 38 above and adjacent the upper gear 40 and meshes with a small pinion 5B which is fixed to a shaft 5! which is journaled in and supported by the top wall l2 and depends therefrom. A larger gear 52 is fixed to the shaft 5| above thepinion and meshes with a pinion '53 which is fixed to a shaft 54 which is likewise journaled in the top wall i2 and supported thereby and which extends downwardly into the chamber 24. A centrifugal governor, designated generally 55, is fixed to the shaft 54 above the pinion 53 and includes a pair of arms 56 having corresponding ends 5'! which are pivotally mounted on disk 58 which is fixed to the shaft 54 and opposite weighted ends which are urged outwardly by centrifugal force for regulating the speed of rotation of the shaft 54 and accordingly of the other parts connected thereto including the shafts 3B and 22 and the ring gears 25 and 40. The pivoted arms 56 are drawn inwardly by contractile springs 59 which are connected thereto, adjacent their weighted free ends and each of which is anchored to the disk 58.

A rod 80 is reciprocally mounted in the housing wall l5 and has an upturned inner end which supports a blade 8! which engages between teeth of the gear 52 in one position of the rod 60 to provide a stop to prevent said gear and the other gears and shafts connected thereto from rotating when the rod 30 is projected inwardly of the housing ll, said rod having a knob 62 on its outer end disposed externally of the housing and by which it may be retracted outwardly to release the parts to be revolved by the spring 34.

A turntable 63 is secured to the upper end of the shaft 38 above the collar 39 and is dis posed above the top wall l2 of the housing II and is adapted to support thereon a disk-shaped chart 64 which is held against rotation rela-, tively to the turntable while resting thereon by upstanding pins 65 which rise from the turntable 63 and which extend through openings of the chart 64. The chart 64, as best illustrated in Figure 3, is shown provided with one sequence of a particular dance routine wherein the various steps constituting the dance sequence are graphically represented by simulated foot prints 66 certain of which bear the letters L and R, representing the left and right foot, respectively, while other of the simulated foot prints BE con-j tain the numerals "1 through 8 representing successively the eight steps constituting the dance sequence. The simulated foot prints 65 are also connected by broken lines 61 having arrow heads indicating the direction of movement of the feet between the simulated foot prints. The apparatus II] is preferably provided with a magnifying lens 68 which is disposed above the chart 64 for magnifying the indicia 66, 61 thereon and which is supported in a frame 69 a part of which frame is supported by means of a hinge 1!] having an upper leaf which is secured to a part of the frame 59 and a bottom leaf which is secured by fastenings H in the end wall I5. A spring clip 12 has a lower end which is fixed to, the opposite end wall I4 by fastenings I3 and an upper free end which releasably engages another portion of the lens frame 69 to releasably support and retain the lens in a position over and sub stantially parallel to the chart 64 and to permit said lens to be released to swing upwardly on the hinge In so that the chart 64 may be removed from the turntable 63 and replaced by a chart having a difierent dance sequence 68, 61.

The side walls l6 are each provided with an outwardly projecting loop 14, to each of which loops is fastened an end of a wrist engaging strap 15. The free end of one of the straps 15 is provided with a buckle 16 by which the free-end of the other strap 15 may be adjustably 0011?.

with the gear H2 and wise as viewed from above, so that when the gear 89, as viewed from above or as seen in Figure 6, is rotated by the unwinding of the spring 9| it will turn in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrows 05 in Figures 6 and '7.

Theside wall 83 is provided with. a bearing extending therethrough, designated 96 including an inwardly extending boss in which is journaled a shaft 91 having a turning handle 98 secured to its outer end and which is disposed externally of the housing BI. A beveled pinion 99 issecured to the inner end of the shafts! and meshes with the beveled ring gear 89 and a gear I is secured to the shaft 91 between the inner end of the bearing 96 and the pinion 9t and said gear I00 meshes with a small pinion till which is fixed to a shaft I02 which is journaled at one end thereof in a bearing I63 provided in the housing wall 83. A gear I04 is also fixed to the shaft J02 and meshes with a small pinion I05 whichisfixed to ashaft I06, one end of which is journaled in'a bearing I01 formed in the wall 83: I v The walls 83 andt I are provided with aligned bearing I08, adjacent one end of the housing 8I, in which is journaleda shaft I09 which extends between the walls 83 and 84 and one end of which extends outwardly through the wall 83 and is provided with a thumb knob i H! which is disposed externally of the housing 84, a drum II! is fixed to the shaft I09 and is disposed within the housing BI and a gear H2 is fixed to the shaft I09 between one end of-the-drum I I l and thewall 83.and meshes with the pinion i105. A pawl I I3 is pivotally mounted intermediate. of. its ends on a bracket IIll-which extends inwardly from the endwall 80 and said pawl has an upper end-disposed for swinging movement into engagement between two of the teeth of the gear Il2 to hold said gear against clockwise rotation as seen in Figure '7. The other, H3 is curved outwardly with respect to the first mentioned, upper end of the pawl and extends outwardly through a vertically elongated opening I IS in the wall 86 which accommodates swinging movement of said end H5 whereby the pawl I I3 may be swung into and out of engagementwill normally be retained by the weight of the end H5 in a disengaged position relatively to the gear H2.

A shaft II'I extends through the casing 8I adjacent its opposite end and has end portions journaled in the side walls 63 and 84 and a turning handle H3 is secured to one end of the'shaft III.

externally of to the shaft said roller is provided adjacent each oi its ends with sprocket teeth I20 and has a slot extending diametrically therethrough and extending longitudinally thereof between the sprocket teeth, as seen at I21. The roller vIIQ is providedwith similar sets of sprocket teeth I20 -wh'1ch align with the sprocket teeth of the roller II9- and'is like "slot I2I, corresponding to the wall 83. A roller us isfixed wise-provided with a the slot of the roller II 9;-

- A chart in the form of strip I22 is wound on the idler roller IIB -and is provided with a row of longitudinally spaced openings I23 adjacent each longitudinal edge thereof for receiving the teeth I20. A restricted end I24 of the strip-I22 engages the slot I2I to combine with the teeth I20 to anchor said end of the strip I22 to the roller H0. "The otherend of the strip I22 extends longitudinally of the anielongated tape or housing 8 I; and has a corresponding opposite end,

9 sh s wh ch h .e e in h as 1. q?

handleend I I 5 of thepawl lI'I between the walls 83 and 84 and the drum III. Certain of the openings I23 also engage the teeth I20 of the drum III to combine with the slot I2I to anchor the last mentioned end of the chart to the driven drum III. The chart or strip I22 preferably has suitably printed or inscribed thereon a number of simulated or graphically represented dance step routines, one of which is illustrated in Figure 6 and which corresponds substantially to the dance routine as illustrated in Figure 3 including simulated foot prints 66a connected by broken lines bearing arrow heads and designated 61a.

Assuming that the spring SM is wound andthe pawl H3 is in an engaged position as seen in Figure '7, the apparatus can be secured to the wrist in the same manner as the apparatus I0 and the indicia 66a and 61a of the chart I22 which is disposed between the drums I I I and I I9 will be visible through the open top of the housing BI or through a magnifying lens I25 which is disposed thereover and which is mounted in a frame I26 which is detachably latched by a snap fastening I21 in a position to close the open, top ofthe housing 8|. The wearer of the apparatus may then swing the handle end II5 downwardly to release the pawl I I3 from the gear I I2 so that the gear train 99, I00, IOI, I04, I05 and I I2 connecting the drum shaft I09 and the ring gear 89 will cause the drum III to be rotated clockwise as seen in Figure 7 when the gear 89 is revolved in the direction of the arrows by unwinding of the spring 0L As the drum III is revolved clockwise for winding the tape I22 thereon, .the tape will simultaneously be unwound from the idler drum H9 so that other dance routines, not shown, imprinted on the tape portion wound upon the drum I I9 will be moved into view beneaththe lens I25. Thus, a number of successive dance sequences or routinesmay be executed by the student following the different diagrams of the chart I22 as they are moved into view and which diagrams may have the simulated foot prints 66o: disposed in different positions to be readily visible to the student and to form a continuation of a previous sequence or routine of the chart I22.

It will be readily apparent that the chart I22 may be replaced by a diiferent chart by removing the lens I25 and its frame I26 and the spring 0I may he tensioned. so that the movement of the chart will be synchronized with-music to which the student is dancing. The spring is intended to be of sufficient strength so that all of the routines upon the strip or chart I22 may be caused tov pass beneath the lens I25 before the spring is unwound. The spring 9| may be rewound by turning the handle 98 counterclockwise to turn the gear 89 clockwise as seen in Figure 6 and which will cause the drum I II to be revolved counterclockwise as seen in Figure 7. When this oocurs'thetape I22 will be unwound from the drum IiIand the handle IIB may be simultaneously'turned to revolve the drum I I9 counterclockwise as seen in Figure '7 to rewind the tape thereon, if the same'tape or chart is to be reused or the chart may be removed from the apparatus 80 as it is unwound from the drum I II and another tape is then, wound on the drum I I8 by turning said drum counterclockwise by operation of its handle I I8 and the operation previously described repeated.-

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and mayobviously beresor-ted to, withe dep r m; the w n e e ed the .1 1-

vention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for use in teaching dancing by graphically illustrating the steps of a dance sequence including the directions of movement accomplished in completing the sequence, comprising a housing adapted to be worn on the wrist or a dance pupil, a dance step simulating chart containing indicia consisting of consecutively numbered left and right foot prints disposed in various-spaced positions on the chart to indicate directions of movement in accomplishing successive steps of a dance sequence, means contained said housing and supporting said chart, and actuating means including a spring motor contained in said housing and connected to the chart supporting means and imparting timed motion to the supporting means and chart whereby successively illustrated steps of a dance sequence will be moved into correct positions to be viewed by the pupil, certain of the successively numbered foot print indicia being disposed at difierent angles relatively to one another to graphically represent turns in a dance sequence, said chart supporting means comprising a turntable on which the chart is detachably mounted for rotation relatively to the housing whereby the next indicia of the sequence will always be disposed in an upright position relatively to the pupil's line of vision, and manually actuated means for reversing the direction of rotation of the turntable when driven by the spring motor.

2. An apparatus for use in teaching dancing 10 by graphically illustrating the steps of a dance sequence including the directions of movement in accomplishing turns in completing the dance sequence, comprising a housing adapted to be worn on the wrist of a dance pupil, a dance step simulating chart containing indicia consisting of consecutively numbered left and right foot prints disposed in different angular positions on the chart to indicate the extent and direction of turning movement of successive steps of a dance sequence, a turntable contained in said housing and supporting said chart, and reversible actuating means including a spring motor contained in said housing and connected to the turntable and imparting timed turning motion in either direction to the turntable and chart for successively moving the consecutive graphically illustrated steps 01' the dance sequence depicted by the chart into a position normal to the line of view of the pupil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,277,645 Rothkugel Sept. 3, 1918 1,784,031 Spenceman Dec. 9, 1930 1,864,022 Jewell June 21, 1932 1,918,041 Knapke July 11, 1933 1,968,444 Farber July 31, 1934 1,997,511 Canepa Apr. 9, 1935 2,064,603 Harrison Dec. 15, 1936 2,192,257 Champion et al. Mar. 5, 1940 2,402,109 Williams June 11, 1946 2,444,224 Gardner June 29, 1948 2,504,318 Freeman Apr. 18, 1950 

